Private Websites and Document Management

The University's Information Technology Services organization provides the following support for Microsoft's SharePoint solution (as part of the Microsoft 365 software as a service platform):

• Vendor and contract management related to the administration of subscription and license to use Microsoft SharePoint for internal use among students, faculty, and staff
• Access management including the provisioning of user accounts, login credentials and granting access privileges (e.g. for document management etc.)
• Assistance with “onboarding” administrative offices, academic departments, colleges, and divisions that choose to adopt the use of Microsoft SharePoint including consultative “best practice” guidance and a template that provides a basic layout structure which incorporates University standards and guidelines for branding and accessibility associate with presentation, organization, navigation and search all of which can be modified or tailored
• Links to the University’s SharePoint Hub site that is managed by Framingham State’s Marketing and Web Services Department
• Documentation (e.g. knowledge articles) and training necessary to be able to manage information resources using the system (e.g. for document sharing) and make basic configuration changes as needed (e.g. modifying the layout of the home page)
• Post implementation support for troubleshooting and resolving problems or making configuration change

Note:  Personal websites for individual students, faculty, and staff as well as public websites are not within the scope of this service description.

Any Framingham State student, faculty or staff member may request assistance with resolving an issue with using an existing SharePoint site.  Only someone within the appropriate administrative office, academic department, college, or division who can assign or assume responsibility for ongoing management of a SharePoint site can request a new one.

Microsoft SharePoint is a cloud-based software as a service solution and among the many integrated suite of applications and online services within Microsoft 365 which includes Office Online, OneDrive, Outlook, as well as several others.  It is designed to be used for the following:

• Templates
• Document Management
• Digital Media Management
• Records Management
• Web Content Management (for Private Websites also known as intranets)

(See https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/enterprise-content-management-in-sharepoint-930dd985-5bb9-447b-affd-86fcf690e994 for a brief description of Microsoft SharePoint).  Note that content can be managed within Microsoft SharePoint centrally, and then shared to other Microsoft 365 applications.

The creation of new private websites (or intranets) requires authorization to do so from the Manager of Digital Communications and Interactive Media, which is contingent upon (but not limited to) prior approval provide by someone within the appropriate administrative office, academic department, college, or division who can assign or assume ongoing responsibility for the ongoing management of it.

Click on “Request Assistance” from this web page in order to provide us with some basic information about what you need help with and then submit your request.

Framingham State University’s Acceptable Use Policy

Someone from within Information Technology Services (ITS) will respond to incidents and requests within three business days.  The fulfillment of requests and resolution of incidents for existing SharePoint sites will be dependent upon the relative urgency and priority assigned to what gets reported or submitted.  Requests for new SharePoint sites will be dependent upon the time it takes to meet the prerequisite criteria that is included within this service description (above).